Category Archives: Blog

Growing Quinoa – A Complete Protein

Posted on September 7, 2010 by Christy

This is my second year growing quinoa, and it occurred to me that I hadn’t documented the process yet. So – without further delay…

How to grow quinoa:

The first thing you need to know is that while quinoa seed heads are covered in saponin (a natural soap that keeps birds from eating them), the seeds that you plant are somehow going to be
completely appetizing to birds in …
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Harvesting Pop Corn

Posted on September 1, 2010 by Christy

One of the great delights about gardening is growing something for the first time. Each season, we plant new varieties or a veggie we’ve
never grown before to see what it’s like. In our test garden so far, we’ve planted and enjoyed asparagus (3 years ago), brown mustard seeds , quinoa (details forthcoming), garbanzo beans (stayed for a blog on that) and popping …
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Growing Popcorn

Posted on August 31, 2010 by Christy

If there’s an inherent addition in my family, it’s popcorn. Start at the top of the bowl and eat until you hit bottom. That’s how it goes. My father went so
far as to buy the top of the line popper, special popcorn salt, and yes, even figured out to how keep buttered pop corn fresh until the next morning (hair of the dog).

As part of an effort to grow more compost crops we decided to try …
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The Return of Lavender Ice Cream

Posted on August 25, 2010 by Christy

My first experience making lavender ice cream several years ago did not end well. As mentioned in a previous blog entry, I somehow released
all the camphor in the blossoms and ended up with Vicks Vapo-Rub ice cream. Since then I’ve vowed to attempt another batch, but it wasn’t until our trip to Ojai in June that I discovered what
to do differently. In case you missed that trip to the U-Pick day at
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Chard on the Brain – Recipes for an abundance of Swiss Chard

Posted on August 23, 2010 by Christy

When a gigantic bouquet of Swiss Chard appeared on the porch the other day, an image of the jam-packed fridge came to mind. This was going to
require some thinking. It was time to pull out the big guns, and by “big guns” I mean that it was time to ask the Gardenerd Community for help.

I put a call out in the last Weekly Update and got a couple of good recipes from fellow chard lovers. …
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Westside Produce Exchange Review

Posted on August 18, 2010 by Christy

During the Dwell on Design conference, I was fortunate to be asked to participate on a panel with two other gals about community and school
gardens. One of the ladies, Hynden Walch, was the founder of the Hillside Produce Cooperative, which is a
monthly free food exchange that helps distribute the surplus in a given community. She pointed me in the direction of Naomi Curland, who started the Westside version of this …
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Gardenerd in Organic Connections Magazine

Posted on August 17, 2010 by Christy

Last week I was interviewed by Bruce Boyers of Organic Connections Magazine. He wanted to know how Gardenerd got started and why we’re doing
all this food-growing stuff. Check out the article here:

The Gardenerd: Grow Your Own Organic
…
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Gardenerd Potluck and Seed Exchange Review

Posted on August 12, 2010 by Christy

This past Saturday, August 7, was our very first Summer Potluck and Seed Exchange. About 40 gardenerds showed up to share the bounty of their
harvest, and they came away with a handful of new seeds to try next season. From simple dishes like a bowl of watermelon or a platter of caprese (basil, mozzarella, and tomatoes) to fanciful
recipes like homegrown banana bread cake or tomato and watermelon salad (YUM!), these gardenerds rose to the …
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Growing Weeds on Purpose – Wild Edibles

Posted on August 11, 2010 by Christy

A question came in this week:

“Balcony gardening question – Is anyone growing wild edibles in pots – such as purslane,dandelions,lambs quarters,wood sorrel,etc.?“

This is the first time anyone has asked me how to cultivate weeds deliberately, but it’s not the first time the idea of eating weeds has come up in conversation. While most people simply forage for
them, there are many benefits to the plants you have listed here, and with caution, you can cultivate them …
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Can you Pass the Soil Test – Part 2 – Phytoremediation

Posted on August 4, 2010 by Christy

In our last episode, our protagonist was struggling to understand where excessive zinc levels came from in her garden soil. In case you missed it, you can read about it here:  Can You Pass the Soil Test?

This week, we explore the world of phytoremediation as a possible solution. What the heck is that, you ask?  To answer that question, let’s go back …
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